CHAPTER TWO – Tête à tête

Diego had watched the conversation between Victoria and the stranger from the table. He got up and strolled over to the counter and leaned in to her a bit. "Hmmm. He seems quite charming, doesn't he?"

Victoria cocked her head to one side, wondering where Diego wanted to go with this conversation, but also leaned in. "Yes, he is – charming. I'm beginning to wonder if my first impression of him was wrong."

"Well, sometimes our first impressions about people can be wrong, but they're usually not. I know my first impression of you after I came home from Spain certainly wasn't wrong." He smiled teasingly.

"And neither, it appears, was mine." Victoria smiled back.

"Hmmm. What would Zorro say about this tête à tête we're having?" Diego continued his tease.

"A what?" Victoria looked puzzled.

"A tête à tête." Diego leaned in further until there was barely six inches between their faces, as he whispered.

"Is that French?" Victoria's voice lowered as well, but she didn't move. She smiled a larger teasing smile.

"A tête à tête…a private – intimate – conversation…and yes, it is French." Diego chuckled. His insides were about ready to explode because of their nearness. He was rarely this close to her as Diego, and Zorro hadn't been to see her for quite some time.

Victoria got on a dreamy expression. Diego was enjoying this. "Well?"

"Well what?" Victoria asked. "Oh! What would Zorro think?" She giggled softly. "I don't know – why don't you – ask him?"

"Ma – Me? Ask Za – Zorro? I have very little contact with the man," Diego spluttered. The question caught him off guard. He drew back until there was nearly two feet between them.

Victoria had her suspicions; she just wanted to see how Diego would react. When she'd learned that Diego had won the swordfight between the two brothers left-handed, she knew there was a lot more to Diego de la Vega than she'd given him credit for – for years. She had done her part to deepen the friendship and had permitted the beginning of the 'tease' prior, she hoped – to courtship – for the main reason of finding out once and for all if her best friend was also the love of her life. Occasionally, she liked to try to catch him off-guard – just to see what he'd say. She was pretty good at reading between the lines – when there was something there to read.

Inwardly, Victoria was pleased. Uh-huh. I've got him just where I want him…having to try to 'explain' how he doesn't even know his own alter ego, she thought.

Outwardly, she chuckled. "I'm sorry, Diego. I only thought to tease you – as you have been teasing me!"

Diego's look of 'shock' wore off, and he smiled, and leaned in again. One of these days, I will tell you, Victoria. When I get up my nerve and the time is right.

To her, he said, "Well, in that case…senorita…tease – on!" And he smiled his 'infamous' Zorro grin.

Both were so caught up in each other, they didn't notice Gonzales was watching them with a keen eye.

Z

Not only was Gonzales watching – he was listening as well. Pedro will be pleased. It appears that the senorita has two men in her life; he thought…El Zorro and de la Vega. Pedro will be very pleased, for I know that he is planning to use the de la Vegas in his revenge against El Zorro.

Gonzales had his orders to keep his eye out for any de la Vega that entered or left the tavern. He was to follow them at a discreet distance and find out where they went and what they did.

After lunch, Gonzales strolled out to the front porch of the tavern, and watched Diego & Felipe de la Vega walk to the newspaper office. He'd learned that Diego was the editor, and presumed that Felipe helped out. Don Alejandro must be at the rancho, thought Gonzales. After dark, both he and Pedro were to ride outside the pueblo to the camp and update the rest of the gang, discuss options, and make further plans.

Z

As they walked toward the newspaper office, Diego turned his head to Felipe and said, "Don't look around, but we're being watched."

Felipe couldn't help himself, he started to turn. Diego grabbed him by the arm and turned him face forward again. "I said – don't look!" Diego whispered with intensity. "When we go into the office, close the door, and as you close it, then look at the man on the tavern porch. He's a scruffy-looking vaquero, but I don't think he's actually a vaquero. I don't know why he's watching us, but I don't like it. Things have been too quiet, and I have this nasty feeling that all – uh – kinds of things – are going to break loose soon…but I don't what it will be or where it will come from…it's just one of those premonition things…"

"I – feel – too." Felipe drew out the sentence, saying it slowly so he wouldn't stutter.

All alarm faded from Diego's face and pride took over. "Felipe, I can't say it enough. I am so proud of you for the great strides you've been making in your speech."

"Gracias – Father." Felipe ducked his head in humility.

They reached the office of The Guardian, and as Felipe closed the door behind them, he nonchalantly looked around the plaza as if it was a normal thing to do, taking note of the 'vaquero' on the tavern porch. He signed then.

Diego interpreted. "So, you think that the 'vaquero' looks more like a bandido, and that Zorro is probably going to end up having to take care of him. You're signing because what you want to say is more than you could speak right now. I can understand that. Well, hand me the first-page mock-up print, will you? Then you can start setting type for the second page."

Z

Don Alejandro was out on the range, when he spotted a lone rider on the next rise over. "Juan! Is that you? Come here, I have a job for you!" He yelled to the rider and did a broad gesture of invitation. He didn't get the response he hoped for. Instead of turning his direction to ride towards him, the rider turned away and urged his horse into a gallop. Alejandro thought about pursuing the man, but knew that he'd never catch up with him. He was too far away.

I wonder who that was, and what is he doing on our property, Alejandro thought. He'd been enjoying the peaceful couple of months he'd had since learning he had another son. His heart was still heavy when he thought of Gilberto. It had been hard not to blame himself partially, anyway, for not knowing he had another son.

He'd also noticed the change in Diego since this all happened. He gave much thought to Diego's explanation of the fight with Gilberto – and how he'd learned to fence in Spain, but chose not to use it except in extreme circumstances, and then only in self-defense – or in this case to defend his father. He was also very proud of Diego for legally adopting Felipe, although he had wanted to himself. It seemed Diego had matured quite a bit in the last month. Felipe was even beginning to talk now. It was slow going, but it was a good start. Alejandro had also noticed that the friendship deepening between Diego and Victoria, but didn't know how that was going to go over with Zorro. He inwardly snickered at the thought.

Z

At the office of the Los Angeles Guardian, Diego was finding it difficult to concentrate. While Felipe was setting the type for the second page, he was proofreading the first page for errors in spelling and grammar usage. While Felipe was an excellent speller, because Don Alejandro had taught him, sometimes he still got the wrong letter.

Proofreading was sometimes boring work, although if Diego pretended he'd never read the material before, it helped a lot. Most of the proofreading mistakes came from the columns, rather than news stories he wrote himself. Sometimes Felipe would merely copy the spelling in type as it had been written, rather than correct as he set.

Diego's mind centered on two things, Victoria and the strange vaquero he'd seen. Ah, Victoria…our relationship is progressing. Soon, maybe very soon, I will not be afraid of either your wrath or your rejection… His eyes got a dreamy look in the distance, before his thoughts turned to the strange vaquero.

Who is he…Diego thought. What's he doing here? I have a bad feeling about him. Why? He tries to act like he's not looking when he is. He tries to act like he hasn't heard when he has. In other words, he's acting a lot like me – when I 'spy' in the tavern. Is that what he's doing? Spying? But why? For what purpose? Diego had no answers.

Felipe was setting Senor Estomago column with a recipe for albondigas soup, but he wasn't sure how to spell it.

"Father – how to spell a-bond-i-gas soup?" Felipe tried getting Diego's attention.

Diego was thinking about the strange vaquero.

"Father?" Felipe came over and tapped Diego on the shoulder.

Diego was pulled from his thoughts. "What was that Felipe?"

"Spell – a-bond-i-gas."

"How do have it so far?" Diego asked.

"A – b – o – n – d – i – g – a – s."

"Oh. That's a – 'l' – b – o – n, then you have it from there. I'm surprised you don't know how to spell meatball, you eat enough of them." He emphasized the 'l' and pretended to act like he was going to whack Felipe on the side of the head.

"Gracias, Father." Felipe smiled as he reached for an 'l' to insert into the word as he easily dodged the pretend blow. He'd set it, but even though it didn't look quite right, he wasn't sure what was missing.

"De nada, Felipe." Diego turned his attention back to proofreading.

Z

After siesta, Pedro Sarasota came down and looked around the tavern. It had emptied out. He figured that Gonzales was probably outside, either sleeping on the porch or nosing around. He quietly unlocked the front door of the tavern, and walked out onto the porch, carefully closing the door behind him. If asked, he'd tell the senorita he awoke early and wanted to take a walk. After all, it was the truth, at least partially.

Pedro found Gonzales with his head down on his arms dozing at one of the outdoor tables on the porch. He sat down across from his sleeping comrade and shook him. Gonzales woke up with a start, "Huh?" sharply lifted his head, and saw Pedro looking at him intently with a scowl.

"Hey, it's siesta! Am I not allowed a siesta? Besides, when you hear what I've found out, I think you'll allow me any siesta I want – and more." He rubbed his eyes, then his face to 'rub off' any vestiges of sleep.

"Well – what do you have to say for yourself? What did you learn?" Pedro's expression held anticipation of something juicy – with Gonzales' build-up.

Gonzales stretched long before talking. "I think the older young don, Don Diego, is courting Zorro's senorita."

Pedro looked at him with an eye of great skepticism. "And what makes you think that – it seems like that would be a dangerous proposition to me."

"It is the way they look at each other, the way they talk... I have heard they are good friends, but there seems to now be more between the two of them besides a mere friendship."

Pedro's skepticism continued. "Really? Are you now an expert on courtship and romance, amigo? Again I ask you – what makes you think so? Can you remember anything they said that would make you think that?"

"Well – it is 'the tease' – the way a man and woman tease each other when they are interested in pursuing a relationship." Gonzales was having trouble putting his thoughts into concrete words. "And it was going both ways…he teased her, she teased him. They even said so…they said they were teasing each other…and they both enjoyed it."

Hmmmm, thought Pedro. This is interesting. "Did you find out anything about El Zorro? Does anyone have any thought about who he is or where or how he can be found?"

Gonzales answered, "It seems El Zorro is unpredictable, but he always comes to rescue those in trouble or protest against schemes of the alcalde. He also rides the countryside looking for banditos and brings them into the pueblo to help out the lancers. But he hasn't been seen in the pueblo in over a month…closer to two."

Pedro thought a moment. "Hmmm. Always comes to help those in trouble – eh? Then we should make sure he finds some trouble – eh? Soon…we will make more trouble for El Zorro than he will be able to handle…" And Pedro laughed his low, rumbling laugh of anticipation.

TBC